If you want one local gaming video to repeat in OBS, add it as a Media Source and enable Loop. If you want several videos to play in sequence, use VLC Video Source, enable Loop Playlist, and keep VLC installed.
Looping and source activation are separate settings. Loop controls what happens when playback reaches the end, while restart-on-activation controls what happens when the source becomes active and visible in the live scene.
Choose a single video or a playlist
Start by deciding whether your rerun is one file or a collection of files. This choice determines which OBS source you should add, and it is better to make it before building scenes or testing the YouTube broadcast.
| Your material | OBS source | Setting to check | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| One local gaming video | Media Source | Loop | Simple setup, one file to maintain |
| Several local gaming videos | VLC Video Source | Loop Playlist | More flexible rotation, but VLC must be installed |
| One file now, playlist later | Start with Media Source, then review the source choice | Test the replacement before going live | A playlist is not created by adding several files to Media Source |
For a single file, OBS’s built-in Media Source is the direct option. It supports local video and audio, and its Loop property repeats the file after playback completes. You do not need a playlist application merely because the video should run overnight.
For multiple files, VLC Video Source is the relevant OBS distinction. It uses VLC’s media libraries and provides playlist controls, including Loop Playlist. The source requires VLC to be installed before it appears in OBS. If you use 64-bit OBS, OBS documents that 64-bit VLC is required as well.
This is different from manually placing several Media Sources in a scene. Multiple sources can be useful for a designed layout, but they do not by themselves create a reliable sequential playlist. For a straightforward gaming rerun, choose the source that matches the file arrangement you actually intend to maintain.
If the stream will eventually run from a remote computer rather than your home machine, first separate the media rotation problem from the hosting problem. The guide to streaming a video folder continuously to YouTube from a remote server covers a different operating arrangement, while this article focuses on the OBS source controls.
Add a local OBS Media Source
Open the scene that should carry the gaming rerun. In the Sources dock, select the add button and choose Media Source. Give it a descriptive name such as Gaming rerun, then confirm the source is being added to the scene you intend to send to YouTube.
In the Media Source properties, select Local File and browse to the video. OBS lists common video containers including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM. It also lists audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG and WAV. Those are supported formats documented by OBS, not a promise that every file with a particular extension will decode identically on every computer. If a file behaves oddly, test that file directly before treating the loop setting as the cause.
The important controls for a one-file rerun are these:
- Local File points OBS to the file on the computer.
- Loop repeats playback after the file reaches its end.
- Restart playback when source becomes active controls whether playback starts again when the source becomes active and visible.
- Close file when inactive unloads the file while the source is hidden.
- Show nothing when playback ends hides the source when playback finishes.
For the basic setup, select the local file and turn on Loop. The documented default for Loop is Off, so do not assume a newly added source will repeat. Save the properties and watch the source in the preview before connecting it to a long live session.
The file path matters as much as the checkbox. If you move, rename or disconnect the file after setting up OBS, the source may no longer be able to open it. Keep the video in a stable folder and avoid testing with a removable drive that may not be available when the stream is started.
You can also read the OBS plugin and automation options for a 24/7 YouTube video stream if you need scene changes or scheduling beyond a single looping source. Plugins are not required for the Media Source loop described here, and adding automation does not remove the need to test the underlying source.
Enable Loop and keep the source visible
With the file selected, enable Loop. This is the setting that answers the simple question, “How do I make this video play again after it ends?” When the file reaches its end, OBS starts it again rather than treating the playback as finished.
Keep the Media Source visible in the scene that is live. In the Sources list, an eye icon that is off means the source is hidden. A source can exist in the scene and still contribute no picture or sound if it is hidden, covered by another source, or placed in a scene that is not currently active.
Source visibility is not the same thing as looping. Loop deals with the end of the media. Visibility deals with whether the source is active in the current scene and available to the output. If a gaming video appears to stop, check both before changing files or reinstalling OBS.
The layer order also matters. A full-screen colour, browser source, image or other video placed above the Media Source may cover it in the preview. The source can technically be playing while you see a different layer. Temporarily hide other sources during the test so you can confirm that the gaming video is visible and that its audio is reaching the mixer.
The optional Show nothing when playback ends setting is mainly relevant when playback is allowed to finish. With Loop enabled, the source should normally move straight into another pass rather than reach an ordinary unlooped end. If you turn Loop off while testing, this option can make the source disappear and may make the result look like a scene or YouTube problem.
Likewise, Close file when inactive is not a loop control. It unloads the file when the source is inactive and can introduce a short reload delay when the source becomes active again. Leave it off for a simple continuous rerun unless you have a reason to reduce the resources used by hidden media sources and have tested the resulting behaviour.
A useful test is to let the file approach its end while watching the OBS preview and audio meters. Confirm that the picture continues into the next pass, then hide and show the source deliberately. These are two different events and should be tested separately.
Understand restart-on-activation
Restart playback when source becomes active is separate from Loop. OBS describes Loop as specifying whether the file plays again once playback has completed. It describes restart-on-activation as setting the file to restart once the source is in the current scene and visible.
That means restart-on-activation does not replace Loop. If Loop is off, enabling restart-on-activation does not tell OBS to replay the file every time it reaches the end. It only affects what happens when the source becomes active again, such as after a scene change or after the source has been hidden and shown.
The documented default for restart-on-activation is On, while the documented default for Loop is Off. These defaults explain a common test result: a source may restart when you switch scenes, yet stop when it reaches the end because looping was never enabled.
Whether restart-on-activation is desirable depends on your scene design. If the gaming rerun should begin from the start whenever you return to its scene, leaving it on may be appropriate. If you want the file to continue from its current position after being hidden briefly, you need to check the setting and test the actual behaviour in your installed OBS version.
Do not use a scene switch as a substitute for a continuity test. Switching away and back can create a fresh activation, so it may restart the file even though the file itself is correctly configured to loop. A source that restarts after activation can still loop normally while it remains active.
For a continuous YouTube output, keep the scene containing the source live rather than repeatedly toggling it. If you use several scenes, make sure each transition has an intentional result: either the rerun remains visible, or another scene deliberately replaces it. The checklist for confirming that a 24/7 YouTube stream is actually looping is useful after the local OBS preview behaves as expected.
Use VLC Video Source for playlists
When the rerun consists of several local gaming videos, add VLC Video Source rather than trying to make Media Source act as a playlist. Install VLC first. OBS says the VLC source requires VLC to be installed before it is available, and 64-bit OBS requires the 64-bit version of VLC.
Add the source to the scene and use its playlist controls to select the files. Turn on Loop Playlist so the sequence begins again after the last item. OBS documents Loop Playlist as enabled by default, but check the property yourself because the visible setting is more reliable than an assumption about defaults, especially after changing or importing a scene.
The playlist source also has controls for shuffle and visibility behaviour. Leave shuffle off if the videos should play in a defined order. Review the visibility behaviour if you plan to hide the source during scene changes, because continuing or stopping while hidden affects how the next activation will look. These controls are about playlist and visibility behaviour, not a replacement for checking the source in the live scene.
A playlist is only as stable as the files it references. Keep the files available at their expected paths, use clear names, and avoid changing the folder while the stream is running. If one item is missing or cannot be decoded, the playlist may not behave as you expect, so run a complete local test with the same files that will be used overnight.
VLC Video Source adds flexibility, but it also adds a dependency that a single Media Source does not need. Use it when the playlist is the real requirement. For one file, the built-in Media Source usually gives you fewer moving parts and a shorter troubleshooting path.
Check the scene and YouTube preview
Before starting a long broadcast, check the complete path from file to scene to YouTube. In OBS, verify that the correct scene is selected, the gaming source is visible, and the audio mixer shows activity when the video plays. If you use a capture, overlay or chat layer, hide each additional layer briefly to make sure it is not covering the source.
Then start a controlled YouTube test rather than assuming that a local preview proves the public stream is correct. YouTube supports streaming with an encoder, and its current live-stream guidance includes channel eligibility and restrictions that can affect whether you can go live. Check the official YouTube live-streaming requirements for the current position before relying on an old channel setup.
Use YouTube’s preview to confirm the picture, audio, aspect ratio and scene you intend viewers to receive. Look at the public viewing page as well as the OBS canvas where practical. A source can look correct in OBS while the wrong scene, stream key or output is being sent to YouTube.
Watch the transition at the end of the file. For a single video, the picture should begin another pass because Loop is enabled. For a playlist, the next item should follow the previous one and the sequence should eventually return to its first item because Loop Playlist is enabled. Also test what happens if you hide the source and show it again, since that checks activation behaviour rather than end-of-file looping.
If the stream is running from a home computer, continuity also depends on the computer staying awake, OBS remaining open, the local file remaining available, and the internet connection continuing to upload. A perfectly configured source cannot keep broadcasting if the machine sleeps or the connection drops. Readers weighing local hardware against another arrangement may find the comparison in how to run a 24/7 stream on a Chromebook, tablet or low-end laptop useful.
Do not change several settings at once after a failed test. Record whether the failure was a file that would not open, a source hidden in the scene, playback stopping at the end, a scene restarting the file, missing audio, or a YouTube connection issue. Then change the setting that corresponds to that symptom.
Consider stream archive expectations
A live stream and its YouTube archive are separate concerns. You can configure OBS to keep sending a looping video while still having uncertainty about how YouTube will preserve a very long broadcast.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, while a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. This is an operational limit, not a guarantee that every stream below that duration will meet every archive expectation. If preserving the full gaming rerun matters, YouTube recommends making a local recording as a backup. Read the current YouTube guidance on archiving live streams before choosing a broadcast length around that boundary.
For a genuinely continuous channel, plan the archive separately from the public live output. A local recording can consume substantial storage and may create its own reliability concerns, but it is the direct backup when a YouTube replay is important. If you do not need a long replay, you may choose to treat the live broadcast as the main output and keep shorter test recordings for troubleshooting.
Rights are another separate question. YouTube’s live-stream terms place responsibility on the provider to hold the rights needed for the live content, including relevant music rights. Game footage, soundtrack music, commentary, overlays and clips may not all have the same permission status. Review the YouTube Live Stream Terms and check the current rights position for the material you plan to broadcast.
Monetisation is not decided by the Loop checkbox either. YouTube’s monetisation policy update dated 15 July 2025 says monetised content is expected to be original and authentic, and identifies repetitive or mass-produced material with little variation or minimal value as a concern. A gaming rerun may need to be assessed on its actual content, channel context and commentary rather than on the technical fact that it repeats.
YouTube also notes that ad slots are not guaranteed to serve. Do not treat a continuously running OBS source as a promise of revenue. If the channel’s purpose is discovery, community or background viewing, define success in terms you can actually observe rather than assuming that more hours automatically produce a particular result.
If keeping a home computer running is the part that makes the plan impractical, StreamNeo removes that specific burden by letting you upload the prepared video, provide the YouTube stream key, and leave the broadcast running without your computer switched on. It is still your responsibility to check the content, rights, channel settings and current YouTube requirements.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Should I use Media Source or VLC Video Source for one gaming file?
Use Media Source for one local file and enable Loop. VLC Video Source is intended for a playlist or when you specifically need its extended media and playlist controls, and it requires VLC to be installed.
Does restart-on-activation make a video loop?
No. Restart-on-activation controls whether the file starts again when the source becomes active and visible. Loop controls whether playback starts another pass after reaching the end, so enable Loop separately.
Why is my looping source not visible on YouTube?
Check that the source eye is enabled in the scene currently being sent to YouTube, and check that another layer is not covering it. Then verify the selected OBS scene, audio mixer and YouTube preview rather than relying only on the local canvas.
Will YouTube definitely save a 24/7 stream as an archive?
No. YouTube says a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. If the recording matters, make a local recording as a backup and recheck YouTube’s current archive guidance before starting a long broadcast.